Family Recipes
Italian
Great Aunt Rubye's Pasta Sauce from Abruzzi
Ingredients
2 lbs. hot Italian sausages
64 oz. canned plum tomatoes
52 oz. marinara sauce (e.g. Newman's Own)
12 oz. tomato paste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth (optional)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Lightly coat bottom of skillet with olive oil. Brown 3" lengths of sausage on medium-high heat with 2 cloves of chopped garlic. When browned on all sides remove the sausages. Add the juices and garlic to a 5 gallon or larger pot.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Begin with the plum tomatoes, squeezing them gently to release the juices. Stir in 1 cup of water (or chicken broth). Cook on medium-high until the sauce starts to bubble. Then simmer on low for 1 1/2 hours with the lid slightly ajar—stirring at least every 1/2 hour. Add the sausages back into the sauce 1/2 hour before serving. You many need to add more water to thin the sauce, but do so carefully as this sauce is southern Italian from Abruzzi and should reduce to a rather thick consistency. Serve over a shaped pasta such as a rigatoni that will hold the sauce. Cover with a blend of freshly grated Romano and Parmesan.
Bon Appetit
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